Friends
by caldosh
Summary: Two Cadets find out a secret.


friends -- caldosh.com 

  
  
  
Disclaimer: if TPTB had friends like these when they were younger, we'd at least have had a great Voyager Show.   
  
To my friends.   
  


Friends

caldosh © May 9, 2001   
  
"Have you seen the new Professor for Tactical Navigation?"  
"The tall gorgeous one? Of course I have. As soon as he walked into the Assembly Hall, I vouched to enter whatever class he's teaching. But I'm not taking Tactical Navigation, I've enrolled in his DQ Contacts 101."  
"He's teaching that one too? But I thought what's-her-name Captain Janeway was handling that one."  
"She is. It's a special course, taught by Voyager's Command Team. You really should try to switch courses, because this one is way more fun!"  
"I heard the rumors. Is there any truth to them? Are they really an item? And who do I see to switch anyway, my course supervisor is on vacation."  
"Go see them. They'll let you change. As for the rumors, you'll see for yourself. You know, I don't have many demands for the future, but after seeing the two Captains, I know I'll be waiting for a man who treats me the same way Captain Chakotay treats Captain Janeway."   
  
#~#~#   
  
"Captains, Sirs, there's a Cadet waiting to see you. She claims she made an appointment with your assistant, but since I am your assistant, and I know she didn't contact me, I was wondering ..."  
Chakotay cut in, "Show her in, Commander Jenson."  
"Yes, Sir, Captains, Sirs."  
  
Following the Commander into the office, Cilla couldn't help but balk at her own audacity. Obviously Commander Jenson wasn't happy with the fact she had bluffed her way into the office of Starfleet's most famous Captains. She just hoped the two Senior Officers would appreciate the frank speech she was ready to give. They'd never know what hit them, at least according to her friend Katie. Right now, she wasn't too sure about it herself.  
"Cadet Cilla, Captains, Sirs."  
When the door closed behind her, she was ready to run, but the cheeky grin on Captain Chakotay's face had her riveted.  
It was Captain Janeway who spoke first however.  
"Cadet Cilla, to what do we owe the pleasure of your presence?"  
This Captain's face was an exact opposite to her co-lecturer's. Cilla was ready to get on her knees and beg for mercy just to make the other woman stop her glare.  
"Captains, Sir, Ma'am, after hearing about your course, I made my appointment to see if I could request a course transfer, Ma'am, Sir."  
Chakotay had to grin, "An appointment, Cadet Cilla? In my days we used to call this crashing the professor. You've made our Commander Jenson extremely nervous. You see, he values Starfleet Protocols as if they were the only reason for living."  
"Well, Sir, Captains, Ma'am, my friend suggested this mode of operation. She said I'd never get Jolly Jenson to agree to an official appointment." Before she even finished her sentence, she realized what she'd just said. "I'm sorry, Sir, Captains, Ma'am. I didn't mean to call Commander Jenson by that name."  
"Cadet Cilla?"  
"Yes, Captain, Ma'am?"  
Kathryn had to smother a grin, "Please, don't call me Sir, and heavens forbid if you call me Ma'am. Captain will do just fine."  
"Yes, Ma' ... Captain."  
"She still can't handle it when someone calls her Ma'am. It's a crunch-time-only expression. But how did your friend know how to contact us? You realize you just did a perfect Tom Paris in the way you approached us?"  
"Sir, Captain, as I was saying, my friend Katie told me how to make my 'appointment'."  
"Katie? Cadet Katie?" Chakotay laughed out loud now, "I should have known she was trouble. Cadet Cilla, I can tell you from experience, but all Katies, Kaths, Kathryns or whatever you want to call them, all of them are trouble. They make for great friends, but they will make a mess of your life. Be warned."  
Cilla giggled, "Sir, I have already noticed that. And it usually doesn't take them that long either. One day is all they need."  
"Cadet Cilla, Chakotay, if you are finished discussing the merits attached to my name, could we please get to the point? My stomach is grumbling and I haven't had my coffee yet."  
"Coffee, Kath? I don't think so, you know what the Doc said. Besides B'Elanna is planning to pick you up for lunch, so you might as well take a seat. Cilla, the floor is all yours, you have five minutes. Why do you want to take our course?"  
  
#~#~#   
  
"Katie, I'm telling you, something is up. This is the second day in a row the Captain is late. I told you about what happened in their office, didn't I? Well, this ties into that."  
"Cadet Cilla, I see you and Cadet Katie are discussing parts of my lecture. Would you mind summarizing what I've said so far? It's only fair to Captain Janeway. We wouldn't want her to miss anything I have said, would we?"  
"No, Captain, we wouldn't."  
Thankfully after one month of classes, Katie was very adept at writing down her course notes, while listening to Cilla's relationship theories. She passed her notes to her friend, praying neither of the two Captains would notice.  
Meanwhile Cilla tried to make sense of Katie's barely readable shorthand.  
  
#~#~#   
  
Tom Paris immediately noticed the two cadets huddled in a corner of the ever popular Night Owl.  
"Ladies, may I join you?"  
They looked up and almost fainted.   
"Commander Paris?" Katie shakily asked, "How can we help you, Sir?"  
He sat down and signaled the waiter to take his order.  
"A little bird told me you two might know something about two people who I have observed daily for the last seven years. What can you tell me?"  
"We are Katie and Cilla." Cilla had finally managed to breathe without fainting. "But I don't see what we might know. If you're talking about the Captains, I'd suggest following a lecture."  
"I'm not talking about lectures. Roughly six weeks ago, one of you overheard Chakotay make a remark to Kathryn - in their office. I need to know what was said, because my darling wife, who had a luncheon appointment with Kathryn later that day was told something and she is refusing to share it with me. Now who can tell me what was said in that office?"  
Katie had regained her usual quickness, and mini-glared at the Commander.   
"Lets say we know what you are talking about, Commander Paris." She stressed his rank, hoping it might intimidate him. "What's in it for us?"  
Laughing at her Captain Janeway imitation, he shook his head. "Kathryn would have loved to see you say that. What's in it for you? Let me see, free piloting lessons? Nah, I bet you're not interested. Vulcan meditation class? Borg efficiency management? Cooking tips?"  
He seemed to consider some other options, when Cilla answered.  
"An invitation to the wedding."   
  
#~#~#   
  
"Cilla, you're not paying attention. What are you doing? Stop it! Captain Janeway is looking at you." Katie tried to warn her friend, but it was too late. Just as Cilla was getting up to leave the lecture, the door to the hall swung open.  
Tom Paris, followed by the Senior Staff plus at least half of the former Voyager crew – minus the EMH – entered and insisted to speak to Captain Chakotay.  
"Chakotay, Captain Chakotay, we are here to give you an ultimatum. After various sources confirmed the news, we have decided to make you do what an honorable man ought to do in your situation. Consider yourself warned. If you don't give into our demands, which I'm sure you don't need spelled out because you already know what I'm referring to, we will be forced to take this situation to the Review Board of Starfleet Protocol."  
"Tom, I know what you talking about. And believe me, I have tried to rectify the situation on numerous occasions, but – and since you know the lady in question, you will not be too surprised – she has ignored and refused my requests, pleas, threats, stories and demands. In fact, I would be glad to take this up with the Board, because it seems to be the only way for me to change our present situation."  
"All right, Voyager crew, all in favor of taking this to the Board?"  
A chorus of ayes rumbled through the lecture hall.  
"That's settled. Captain Janeway, if you will follow us. Chakotay, you're going to need two independent witnesses."  
"Already taken care off. Cadets Cilla and Katie, I would like to request your presence at my somewhat unorthodox wedding. Please come this way."   
  
FIN   
  
my dear friend Clare wrote a sequel to my story More Friends -- luckily our friend Katie was bright enough to write Her Sequel to Clare's Sequel of My Fic - True Friends -- and our next tag was Jadie - Quintessential Friends -- Forever Friends by Beccy -- followed by Yaelie's Friends and Stuff -- then came Sylvia Friends and Family -- email Laura for the next part! 


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